On My Own
by Je m'appelle Bodet
Summary: Steph finds herself pregnant and, after a lot of contemplating, confronts the father. But, being Stephanie Plum, things don't go exactly as planned. Rated T, subject to change. Review for more!
1. Chapter 1

_This is my second fan-fic, since I didn't get as much of a response to the first one as I would have liked. This chapter is short, I know, but if/when I get positive feedback, I'll post more and it'll be longer. Please rate, and feed the starving writer. :D_

_Janet was the briliant one, not me. I don't own these characters, nor do I claim to._

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My mind was racing. What was I doing standing outside his door? Why couldn't I just walk in, like I had many times before. And then it hit me; fear. I had never been afraid of him, but now I was terrified. I wasn't afraid of what he might do to me; he'd never harm me. I was afraid of what he might say. I knew all too well from past experieriences that his words cut through me like a knife, but I was determined not to let what he might say bother me...at least not in front of him. I knew I had to be strong; he was the strongest person I knew, and I refused to let myself break in front of him.

As soon as I stepped out of my latest POS car, my mind began to race. I was thinking so much that I didn't even notice that my feet had taken me to my desired destination. I rapped twice lightly on the door, and waited, contemplating upon whether or not I should turn around and avoid the conversation I was about to have. But before I could change directions, he'd opened the door.

"Steph?" He asked, looking slightly surprised.

"I...uh..."  
"Are you okay?"

And then came the word vomit. It flew out before I could prepare him...before I could stop myself from making a huge mistake.

"I'm pregnant," I blurted, and blinked my eyes closed.

And when I opened them, I was staring at a closed door.

I sighed and turned around, walking back to my POS car. I got in, fought back the tears that had been threatening to fall since he'd opened the door, and then decided it wasn't worth crying over. He wasn't worth crying over. I would learn how to do this on my own...eventually.

I, Stephanie Plum, was 11 weeks pregnant when I found out. It took me 1 week to muster up the courage to tell the father. And in 1 second, he'd decided he wanted nothing to do with me...with us.

I should've known that would happen. But for some reason, in the back of my mind, I thought things would be different this time. I was wrong, like usual. Imagine that.


	2. Chapter 2

_Thank you to everyone that has given me positive feedback. I really like where this is going. I hope you like this._

_Not mine, all Janet's._

_Review!_

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I stopped at my mother's house before I got home. I don't know why I did, but it seemed right at the time. Grandma Mazur answered the door, like she always does, and immediately pulled me into a hug. Apparently I wasn't as good at hiding my emotions as I'd thought. And, being Grandma Mazur, she had an eerie way of always being able to tell what I was going through without words to explain why.

"He'll come to his senses, Baby Granddaughter. I know it. I've seen the way he looks at you."

"He didn't even talk to me. I told him and he slammed the door right in my face. That doesn't sound too promising to me."

"Give him time. This is going to be a lot to get used to. A man that carries a gun doesn't exactly have a lifestyle for a baby. They have to make things work. It'll take time, but things will eventually works out. Love has a mysterious way of doing that."

"Thank you, Grandma," I said, hugging her.

"Anything for you. Now, let's not tell your mother. She's already got the ironing board out and I think she's had almost an entire bottle of wine. I think it's best if we wait a few days."

Fine by me.

When I got home early that evening, I noticed I had a few voicemails on my answering machine. I pressed the play button, and listened.

"Babe," was all that the first one said.

The second one said, "Cupcake, Bob really misses you. He's sorry for the other night..."

And the last one, but certainly not least, was, "Steph, it's your Grandma. Lisa Klowitz is having a yard sale tomorrow morning and she's selling a crib and a few other baby items you're going to need. I was wondering if you wanted to go. Call me. I love you."

I smiled at the last voicemail, knowing that even though Grandma Mazur was one of the craziest people I knew, she also had one of the biggest hearts. She meant a lot to me, and I was glad I could trust her and had her to talk to.

I ignored the other two voicemails. I went to the fridge and pulled out leftovers my mom had sent home with me a few days early. I nuked the leftover lasagna and ate it standing up in the kitchen, over the sink. When I was finished, I instinctively put a hand to my stomach. My eyes swelled up with tears.

"We can do this. We'll be okay, just you and me."

And that's when I realized how alone I really was.

After waking up 3 times during the night to pee and waking up at 5 to bow to the porcelain god, I couldn't get back to sleep so I took a shower and got ready for my day. I had my first appointment with my OB/GYN, and I wanted to look nice, hoping to avoid looking like a complete loser who had gotten pregnant before marriage and then dumped like last week's leftover chinese.

My doctor's name was Jaqueline Santos. She was tall, tan, and beautiful. She gave me vitamins and put me on a restricted diet, as well as an exercise program. She gave me information on classes single mothers were attending, as well as information on lamaze classes. As much as I needed to participate in these things, I hated the idea of doing them alone.

Connie called me after my appointment. "Steph? Where are you? Vinnie's going nuts over the Gorvich file. The Hammer is looking for him."

"Connie...I can't tell you why, but I can tell you I won't be able to be a bounty hunter anymore."

"Ohmygod. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. I'm sorry. I'm going to have to look for a new job."

"Steph..."

"No, I'll be fine. I needed a change, anyway."

I diconnected with Connie and stole my neighbor's newspaper, looking in the classifieds section, under the job listings. I found a few that seemed promising, copied down the specifics on a piece of paper, and had opened the door to put the paper back, when I bumped into a solid figure in front of me.

Oh. Shit.

"What're you doing here? You're no longer welcome here," I said forcefully, hoping to show I'd grown dominant in the one night I'd had since he'd left me on my own. Since my knees were shaking and my palms were sweating, I figured I wasn't as intimidating as I'd hoped for.

"Steph, we need to talk."

"There's no talking to do. You made it clear last night that you wanted nothing to do with me or my baby."

"Technically it's _our_ baby."

I shook my head. "When you slammed the door in my face last night, you lost all right to call it yours." And that's when I turned on my heels and slammed the door in his face.

Thank you, Karma.

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_Sorry to keep you on the edge of your seat. More soon. I promise. The more reviews, the faster a new chapter comes out._


	3. Chapter 3

_You're going to like this chapter, I hope. Please don't be offended. There is a HEA and I promise you this is just a mild bump in the road, but it might be a few chapters before things start to turn into the HEA I'm hoping for. It's short, I'm sorry. But I think it's stopped at exactly the place it needs to be._

_As always, review. The more reviews, the faster the chapters. I don't think you guys liked the last one as much as the first. Sorry :/_

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Grandma Mazur and I went to the yard sale that evening, and I bought a crib and a swing that were marked down pretty cheap. Grandma Mazur insisted on paying for a changing table and a rocking chair, and after she smacked my knuckles for touching my wallet to pay for them, I decided to let her pay for them before she hit me again. But leaving had proven a harder task than we'd thought. I was driving a POS Honda Civic and we'd driven that to the yard sale, which couldn't have held even the smallest of the items because it was the size of a shoe box. And since I didn't have any men in my life, I couldn't ask them for help...so we were stuck.

Finally realizing I had no other choice, I called Tank. He'd helped me out on several occassions, and I knew that he wouldn't mind helping me out once more.

"Yo?" He asked, rather than said.

"Tank, it's Steph. I need your help. I'm at a yard sale and we just bought a ton of stuff and don't have a truck to haul it. Do you think maybe you could help me?"

"Sure thing, Bombshell. I'll get Santos to help out, too."

"Thank you," I said, and then heard the dial tone.  
"Well how do you expect him to get here without giving him the address?" Grandma Mazur asked. I smirked.

"They know where I am at all times." And when I finally realized what I'd said, my smirk turned into a frown. I missed them.

When Tank arrived, he and Lester got out of brand-new black truck and walked over to where we were standing with our purchases. Tank and Lester's faces turned pale and confused washed over their faces.

"Bombshell...are you...?" Lester started, and then stared at the crib.

I nodded. "Yeah."

Hinting I didn't want to talk about it, they silently nodded their heads, and loaded the things into the truck. Grandma and I followed them to my apartment, where they carried everything inside. They offered to assemble everything, but I declined their offer and told them I could do it. I thanked them and watched them walk down the hallway, into the elevator, and out of my life.

Both of my break-ups had been bad. I knew Morelli and I weren't cut out to spend the rest of our lives together, and Ranger and I could never commit to anything bigger than friends with benefits. I'd miss Bob and Morelli, and I'd miss Ranger and the Merry Men. But it was all something I knew I would have to get used to.

I dropped Grandma off a little after Lester and Tank left, and went home to find an unwelcomed visitor sitting in my apartment.

"Get out," I snarled, tears sliding down my cheeks.

"Steph, don't be like this."

"I don't want you here!" I said, trying to push him out of my apartment.

"Steph," he said, turning around and holding my arms at my sides. He looked sad and I could tell he hadn't slept very much since I'd told him. He also looked as if he'd been working himself to death in the 24 hours he'd had before our confrontation. "I'm sorry. You know I love you, but I can't raise a child."

"Just get out. Please. I don't want to see you anymore," I begged, hot tears sliding down my face like a river. This was by far one of the hardest things I'd ever done.

As I closed the door, I took one final look at him, knowing it'd be my last.. And when the door had finally closed, I slid down it, burying my face in my hands on the way down, and sobbed. I heard him say my name softly, as if to say goodbye.

"Babe..."

And then he was gone.

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_Was it what you thought it'd be? Did you like it? REVIEW! Sorry so short. More next time._


	4. Chapter 4

This chapter moves quickly, and it answers a lot of your questions. I hope you like it. Review, as always. Thank you for the feedback I've gotten so far!!!

And once again, I own nothing.

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**Ranger's POV**

I'd just slammed the door in my Babe's face. I had to get her out of my life while I could. She deserved so much more than me, which is why I'd always told her my love didn't come with a ring. I couldn't tell her how I really felt, though. It was like a curse.

I visited Steph twice after she'd told me she was carrying my child. The first visit, she slammed the door in my face. The second, she made it very clear she never wanted to see me again. As much as it hurt, I had to agree with her. It would be the best for her and the baby, even if it meant being heartbroken. She meant too much to me, and I couldn't lose her, so I did everything in my power to keep her and our child safe, and all the while I was slowly letting myself go.

I put at least three men on my Babe everyday. I made sure they knew where she was at all times, and if she were to so much as blink improperly, I made sure my men would be there instantly to fix it. It was hard not being able to protect her myself, but being a mercenary and having the lifestyle that I had, leaving her out of it was much safer, even if it hurt more than anything I'd ever experienced.

I knew the financial situation Steph would be in. It wasn't hard for me to slip money into her bank account and pay for her doctor bills. I knew she'd eventually catch on to me helping her out, but I could only hope she would be grateful. I helped with Julie financially, and I would do everything in my power to make sure this child had anything and everything it's heart desired.

I checked in on my Babe every once in a while, if I felt daring. I'd quietly unlock her door and slip into the darkness, through her apartment, and into her bedroom. I'd twist a loose curl around my fingers, kiss her ever-so-lightly, and stare at the most beautiful woman I'd ever laid eyes on. I'd take one final look, knowing very well it could be last, and slip out through the door, locking it on my way out, unnoticed.

Steph was the most beautiful pregnant woman I'd ever seen. I didn't see her often enough to watch her grow and really take everything in, but those few times I'd snuck into her bedroom had always left me wanting more... of everything... of her... and less of my life; a life I'd worked so hard for.

No matter what I told myself, I knew my thoughts and feelings could only be summed up into three words. I felt the same way about Steph and our child. I was lost and broken without them. _I loved them._

**Back to Steph's POV**

Nothing hurt more than spending my entire pregnancy on my own. Poeple constantly rubbing my stomach and asking me how far along I was was okay at first. But after nine months of it I was ready to scream. If a boyfriend or a husband had rubbed my stomach, it would've been loving. Sensual. But when a complete stranger walks right up to you and plants their sweaty paws on your stomach, things were different. And I didn't have the patience to deal with it any longer.

It was probably safe to say that I became more and less patient during my pregnancy. I had a very small bladder, therefore waiting in lines to go to the bathroom became extremely unnerving. Watching my child grow throughout the pregnancy in pictures and watching my stomach grow had me in awe of the beauty of life.

Ranger had continued to be in my life, even though I'd asked him not to. I could see the fleet of Merry Men following me whenever I went somewhere. And the huge sums of money continuously put into my bank account had obviously been from him. I wasn't angry that he was doing these things for me; I was glad he was helping me out. It was hard working at a new job where the pay wasn't great, which was, by the way, a job as a secretary at the Button Factory. I continued to buy things for my baby, which I found out was going to be a girl, up until my baby shower, thrown by Grandma Mazur and Lula, where I recieved more than I could've ever imagined. I started to cry, thanked my friends and family for supporting me, and chowed down on cake until I felt as if I couldn't walk...well, as much as I could before.

The weeks came and went and I enjoyed my pregnancy more than I thought I would. I experienced morning sickness for a few weeks early in my pregnancy, but it passed as soon as my body became used to the changes it was undergoing. I had sugar and salt cravings like no other, but I stuck to an all fruit and veggie diet, despite the fact it was torture. I allowed myself to eat sugar every once in a while, like at my baby shower, and once when Tank and Lester had invited me out to ice cream to check up on me. They would visit every so often, making sure I was healthy and everything with the baby was okay. In reality, I knew that they'd gotten tired of sitting in their black vehicles constantly following me and decided to take a closer look of things. But I was grateful they even agknowledged my existense, now that Ranger was out of the picture.

I was sitting in my apartment, talking to Mary Lou, when I felt a sharp pain. I sucked in a breathe, but thought nothing of it. Twenty minutes later, after things had gotten worse, Mary Lou came over and got me and we rushed to the hospital. My water broke the instant they'd admitted me into a room. From what I'd read in my pregnancy books, this was a good thing. It meant I'd have a fast labor and delivery. I hoped they were right.

Mary Lou took the liberty of calling my family and friends and letting them know what was going on. I sat in my bed and watched television, wincing every now and then from the intense pain. It was too late to get any medication to help with the pain, so I relaxed and took it in as best I could.

Dr. Santos came in smiling. "My brother Lester is sitting in the waiting room. You didn't tell me you knew him."

"I didn't know he was your brother," I explained, then realized how dumb I sounded, considering they had the same last name and looked similar.

At that very moment, the door to my room opened and a dark figure stood in front of us.

"Ranger?"

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Sorry it moved so quickly. I was getting impatient. :) Review, as always.


	5. Chapter 5

_Sorry it's been so long. I've been busy and I just finally got something down on paper that was worth putting out. Thank you to all of those that continue to review this story; I couldn't write it without you._

_I own nothing, and claim nothing. All belong to Janet Evanovich._

_Review, as always._

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"Babe," Ranger said as he walked closer to my bed. He looked exhausted and worn, yet as handsome as ever. "I'm sorry about these past few months."

"Get out," I said, pointing my finger towards the door.

"Steph, I-"  
"Out!" I yelled. A contraction hit, and I grabbed my stomach, trying my best to do the special breathing technique my lamaze coach had taught me.

"At least let me see my child being born. Please." I looked at a face torn with sadness and regret. In the back of my mind, I hoped he'd changed. I wasn't ready to raise a child on my own, no matter how hard I tried to convince myself.

Dr. Santos was at the foot of my bed, examining me, when she brought me back to reality. "You'd better make up your mind fast, Stephanie. It's time to have this baby."

"Fine, you can stay," I said with a sigh.

In reality, I wanted Ranger to see his child being born, but I also wanted him there because I was afraid. Batman would never let anything bad happen to me, and I needed him there for reassurance. And, well, he was nice to look at, too.

"Babe," Ranger said, shaking his head. I noticed Dr. Santos had left the room to get her scrubs on, leaving him alone with me.

"You know, you didn't have to give me all of that money. But thank you."

Ranger nodded.

"It's a girl, by the way," I told him, my voice shaking as tears began to slide dowm my cheeks.

"Babe..."

"I know you didn't want a baby, or a relationship, but you didn't have to slam the door in my face when I told you. I didn't want your pity, like you did to Julie and Rachel. I wanted you. I wanted your help. I was alone the entire pregnancy. You know you can calm any fears I may have, and I didn't have you to talk me through things. I was terrified when I found out, and you only made things worse."

I'm going to let you see your daughter being born, and visit her as much as she would like, but please, don't make this harder than it already is. I can't take it any longer. I'm so tired of trying, and I'm even more tired of not getting anywhere with you."

Ranger took my hand and I met his gaze. He brushed a few tears off of my cheeks, and opened his mouth to speak when Dr. Santos walked in.

"Let's have this baby," she said, smiling in her blue scrubs.

I looked up at Ranger, fear in my eyes and on my face, and he squeezed my hand.

"It's okay. We can do this," he said. "I'm not letting go. Not this time."

After an hour of pushing, I was more exhausted than I'd ever been in my entire life. But when I felt as if I'd given all I had, I heard a cry.

"Congratulations, you have a beautiful baby girl," Dr. Santos said as she laid the baby on my chest. Tears filled my eyes and I gently touched her face, as if to make sure she were real. Ranger had a hand barely touching the back of her head, and I looked up at him to see his eyes glossy, and a huge smile plastered on his face.

"What're you going to name her?" A nurse asked me as she took my baby from me and examined her, making sure she was healthy.

"Raegan Catherine Manoso," I said, looking over at my beautiful baby. _R.C.M., just like her father,_ I thought.

The nurses left me be, taking my baby with them, and Ranger sat by my side. I fell asleep, exhausted, considering the fact I'd delivered Raegan at 2:30 in the morning.

When I woke up, I felt a familiar tingle, and Ranger was standing beside my bed, holding Raegan.

"The nurse just came in and said Raegan was hungry, and if we needed anything to let her know," he informed me. He carefully placed her in my arms and I slipped an arm out of my hospital gown and nursed her. Ranger lightly stroked the top of Raegan's head the entire time.

"Steph, I never meant to hurt you."

"Please don't do this...not now."

"No, you need to hear this. You two mean more to me than anyone and anything. I was only pushing myself away for your sake; not mine. Not because I didn't care about you, but because I cared too much to let something bad happen to you. This entire time I've been sitting at Rangeman, the business I've worked so hard at building into the success it is today, thinking about my life and my future. And I've realized I don't want this life without the two of you in it...for good."

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_Reviews make the next chapter come out faster! And then you find out what Steph has to say sooner._

_I hope you liked it!_


	6. Chapter 6

**Sorry it's taken me so long! I had surgery last week and my medicine has made me pretty loopy, so since today was the first day I didn't take any meds, I thought I'd post a new chapter.**

**Apparently the last one wasn't as great as I'd hoped for. I didn't get a lot of feedback, which disappoints me. If it continues, I won't finish the story. So please, I'm begging you to review!**

**None of these characters, besides Raegan, belong to me. I don't claim them. And I don't claim Finger Lickin' Fifteen, but go buy it!!!!**

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I had suspected this from Ranger. I knew he'd eventually get his head out of his ass, but I had to give him time to do so. I also knew I wasn't going to let him use his looks and charm to persuade me to change my mind about my decision...unless he used his tongue. If the tongue was involved, I would be a goner.

"I'm going to let you into Raegan's life, and into mine, but we aren't living together. No coming over unannounced. No sneaking in without knocking and scaring me to death. We will date, and you will like it. And, futhermost, no sex."

Ranger actually pouted, and I wondered if the sky was going to come falling down on us at that moment. "Babe."

"I'm serious. You need to learn your lesson. Us dating is not a big deal. People do it all the time. We already know each other, so it'll be a way for us to get closer." Raegan was finished nursing, and I handed her to Ranger while I adjusted my hospital gown.

"I wasn't talking about dating, Babe. I was talking about the no sex part."

"Punishment sucks. Next time don't slam a door in my face when I tell you I'm pregnant."

"Don't worry; history won't repeat itself," Ranger said as he continued to hold our beautiful daughter.

"Can we at least live together?"

"It would be easier," I stated. I looked at Raegan and smiled. "She needs burped; let me have her."

"No, I can do it," he said, holding her carefully to his chest and shoulder, tapping her back lightly, talking to her while doing so.

At that moment, I knew Batman was hooked. Seeing the most Macho man I knew holding a baby and cooing in her ears made me realize that Ranger was serious about having us in his life and making a commitment to us.

"Ranger, you do realize she's going to grow up one day and wear mini-skirts and kiss boys, right?"

Ranger stiffened at my comment and looked down at the baby that had just made a quiet, 'BRRP,' noise. He hadn't. And the sheer terror I'd never once wittnessed him express was priceless. Raegan was one day old and he was already worried about her and boys.

"Sweetheart, Daddy doesn't want you to grow up, so if you would please stay this size forever, Daddy would really appreciate it."

I laughed at Ranger's remark and he handed me Raegan, who was almost asleep. I gently rocked her in my arms while Ranger unpacked his laptop and placed it on the small table that was wheeled over my bed with two trays of breakfast food placed on it.

"Let's look at houses," Ranger whispered as he powered up his computer. I rolled my eyes. Leave it to Batman to over-do things.

**One Week Later**

Ranger and I were settled into our new home, which he insisted on purchasing due to the fact it felt like home from the moment we walked into the door. It was very modern and romantic, and was located just outside of Trenton in a private patch of woods. There was a pool, a swingset already set up in the GIGANTIC backyard, 6 large bedrooms, and 7 bathrooms. The house was huge, but not so big that it felt sterile. We knew when we purchased a home we would need a lot of space due to the fact Ranger needed an office, Raegan needed a nursery and probably a toy room when she grew up, we wanted to have more kids, and we wanted a room for Julie so she could stay with us.

Ranger had had Lester, Bobby, Hal, and Cal pack our things while we were in the hospital. He called an interior designer that had designed Rangeman, as dull as it was, and told him he had 5 days and an unlimited amount of money to furnish and decorate our home, and told him what he'd be paying him for those five days. Needless to say Ranger spent a pretty penny on our house AND our interior designer.

During the three days we spent before moving in, we lived on 7. Ranger learned what it was like to be a father to a newborn, and woke up with Raegan during the night, letting me sleep since I was still exhausted from giving birth. He also became accustomed to being spit up on, changing diapers, searching for pacifiers. But we both pulled our weight. And Raegan helped. She was a happy baby that only whimpered when she was hungry. For that, I was thankful.

Ranger and I had just finished having a nice dinner I'd prepared and I was nursing Raegan when he strolled over.

"Dishes are in the dishwasher," he said, kissing Raegan head softly and then kissing me. His eyes turned into molten dark chocolate and I felt my temperature rise.

"Babe," he growled quietly after I'd put Raegan to bed. I was sitting beside him on the couch, tracing circles on his inner thigh with my index finger. I hadn't noticed, but from the look Ranger was giving me, he had.

"Whoops," I said, drawing my hand back from his lap. He smirked and kissed me passionately, and then his head dipped my neck, and I was a goner from then on.

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**I hope you liked it. Please review. If I get enough, I'll send each and every one of the review-ers a preview of the next chapter.**


	7. Chapter 7

**I got quite a bit of feedback from the last chapter, so I thought I'd reward you with an extra-long chapter and a teeeeensy bit of smut. I hope you liked the preview I sent out to all of you that reviewed the last chapter. Review again and I'll have to do the same.**

Warning: A tiny bit of smut.

**Once again, none of these characters, except Raegan, are mine. I don't claim them, although sometimes I could use Batman... but then again, couldn't we all.**

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I felt Ranger pull me on top of him and I smirked. Cutting him off would kill him, and it was exactly what I'd hoped for. His fingers were sliding up my shirt, and when they met the hot flesh that had gone up two sizes from getting pregnant and nursing, he groaned. Just as he was about to slide my shirt off, I pulled away and smiled. He growled.

"Get back here."

"I can't, Ranger. No sex for 6 weeks. Don't you remember?"

He looked like he was going to cry. "No. I must've been installing the car seat."

Ah, yes, the infamous car seat. Batman took forever trying to figure out how to install a car seat. Why, I don't know, because it's easy as pie, but he just couldn't get it. Now, add three more Merry Men and you've got yourself a show. Tank, Lester, and Bobby had all tried to help him, but Bobby was the one that installed it. Which made Ranger look like an idiot, which made him mad, which resulted in Bobby getting monitor duty for two weeks. And when I heard this, I made Ranger apologize to Bobby and take back his punishment of monitor duty. He protested, but since I was in charge, he didn't stand a chance.

All of the Merry Men loved Raegan. They hadn't held her in the hospital, I think it was because they were all too afraid they were going to break her, but when they came over to our new house, I made them sit on the couch and I let each of them hold her. It was funny to see three huge guys holding such a tiny baby, but they were gentle and every time they came over, they'd hold her for me.

Ranger and I were adjusting to our new home and our new addition to the family. He and I were still getting used to living together, but we were doing very well considering I'd allowed him to sleep in the same bed as me and hadn't killed him from the sexual tension. He'd just go down to his home gym and work out every morning, come back upstairs, give me a kiss, and take a cold shower. Yes, Batman had actually admitted to taking cold showers. And once I'd caught a glimpse of his calendar, and he had been secretly marking down when my 6-week appointment was. Batman was losing his control.

Ranger and I had a few dates at home after I had Raegan. I wasn't comfortable enough to leave her with anyone while we went out, so Ranger and I made fancy dinners, turned down the lights, lit some candles, and ate a romantic dinner together. Yes, Ranger and I made dinner. And yes, I learned how to cook while I was pregnant because I wasn't about to let my child live off of take-out and fast food.

Of course, Raegan had interrupted our dinners a few times. But either Ranger or I would go get her, and I'd nurse her while I finished my dinner. We both loved being parents.

Three and a half weeks after I'd given birth, my weight was almost back to what it'd been before I got pregnant. Lula begged me to go out with her so she could find a new outfit, and since she and Tank were getting back together, I couldn't say no.

"Knock, knock," I said, opening the door to Ranger's office. He looked up at me from the computer and smiled. I walked over to his desk and sat on the corner, and he placed his hands on my legs.

"What do you have planned for tomorrow?" I asked, using the short, flowly dress I was wearing to my advantage. Ranger loved this dress, and I'd have to admit it was extremely comfortable.

His eyes were glued to my legs. "Nothing, Babe. Why?"

Hook, line, and sinker. "I was wondering if you would watch Raegan tomorrow. Lula wants me to go shopping with her. I thought it'd be the perfect time to get some new clothes, too."

"Sure, Babe," he said, and I kissed him. It was times like these where I was thankful that Ranger and I had this kind of a relationship.

The next morning, I woke up early and got everything ready so Ranger wouldn't need anything while I was away. When he woke up and saw me moving around the bedroom, trying to get ready, he furrowed his eyebrows.

"Babe, what're you doing up so early?" He asked, snuggling back into the Egyptian Cotton blankets on the bed.

"You're watching Raegan today while I go shopping with Lula, remember?"

He sat up and looked at me. "Since when?"

"Since yesterday when I came into your office and asked you. Do you remember?"

He sighed and covered his face with his hands. "Of course I remember. You were wearing the dress I like."

I sat in his lap and kissed him deeply, pulling away when our tongues touched. "I have to finish getting ready."

"Babe!" He called after me as I walked into the bathroom, locking the door behind me.

An hour later, after nursing Raegan, getting everything ready for Ranger, and calling my mother to make sure she'd be home just in case Ranger couldn't handle Raegan on his own, I had the car keys in my hand, Ranger's black AmEx card in my purse, and a terrified boyfriend guarding the front of the door, not letting me exit.

"You can't leave me. What if something happens?"

"Ranger, you're Batman. You can do anything. There are bottles in the fridge, all you have to do is heat them up like I showed you. You know how to change a diaper and burp her. She falls asleep if you rock her. There are extra pacifiers in her room, and if she runs out of diapers or wipes, there are more in her closet. There isn't anything to it, Ranger. You know how to do everything."

He sighed and pulled me into his arms. "I don't want to screw up. I've screwed up so many times with you, and I know you're already mad at me for the stunt I pulled last time."

I wrapped my arms around him and rested my head on his chest. "You won't screw up. She's your daughter, too, and I trust you more than anyone in the world. Yeah, you've made a few mistakes, but I can tell you're sorry for what you've done in the past."

He kissed me and pulled away, leaving our foreheads pressed together.

"Furthermore, Ranger, if I didn't trust you with her, I wouldn't have asked. You're a wonderful father, better than you think."

He smiled and kissed me again. "Have a good time with Lula."

"I will," I stated, then swapped my car keys for the keys to his Turbo. Ranger smiled and picked Raegan up from her portable crib and walked to the door, waving as I drove out of the driveway. The sight made my heart ache...it was too cute.

Three hours and almost $500 later, Lula and I were walking into Victoria's Secret when I felt my phone vibrate in my purse.

"Two and a half weeks left," Ranger growled into the phone. I felt my knees go week; someone was feeling a tad bit sexy. Feeling confident, I regained my composure.

"You do remember that we aren't having sex until I think it's appropriate, right?"

"And when will that be, Babe?" He asked, obviously trying my patience.

"When we get married."

"Babe!" Ranger whined. Yes, actually whined. It was a golden moment. "I can't wait that long!"

"Sucks to be you," I said, closing my phone. Yet another point for Stephanie Plum. Ranger didn't stand a chance against me. Especially with the plan I had up my sleeve....

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